Corneal arcus and hyperlipidemia: findings from an older population

• Published in: American journal of ophthalmology Vol. 137; no. 2; pp. 363 - 365
• Main Authors: Chua, Brian E, Mitchell, Paul, Wang, Jie Jin, Rochtchina, Elena
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.02.2004; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Age; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Arcus Senilis - blood; Arcus Senilis - etiology; Biological and medical sciences; Blood pressure; Cardiovascular disease; Cholesterol; Cholesterol - blood; Confidence intervals; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diseases of cornea, anterior segment and sclera; Disorders of blood lipids. Hyperlipoproteinemia; Female; Humans; Hypercholesterolemia - blood; Hypercholesterolemia - complications; Hypertriglyceridemia - blood; Hypertriglyceridemia - complications; Lipids; Male; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Middle Aged; Ophthalmology; Population; Sex Factors; Triglycerides; Triglycerides - blood; Blue Mountains; Human; Cornea; Metabolic diseases; Lipids; Keratopathy; Eye; Eye disease; Association; Population; Hyperlipemia; Dyslipemia; Elderly; Deposition
• ISSN: 0002-9394; 1879-1891
• DOI: 10.1016/S0002-9394(03)00902-4

To quantify the association between arcus and hyperlipidemia in an older population. Cross-sectional population-based study. Arcus and serum lipids were measured in the Blue Mountains Eye Study (n = 3,654, aged >49 years). Arcus was graded as absent, partial (<180 degrees) or circumferential (≥180 degrees). Associations between arcus and hyperlipidemia were assessed using logistic regression, adjusting for age and vascular risk factors. Arcus was strongly associated with age (P < .0001). After age adjustment, arcus was associated with male sex (P < .01) and diabetes (P < .02) but not with hypertension or smoking. Corneal arcus was significantly associated with progressively higher levels of total cholesterol over 5 mmol/l. Adjusted odds increased from 1.6 for cholesterol 6.0 to 6.9 mmol/l to 4.6 for cholesterol >8.0 mmol/l, and was 1.9 for high triglyceride >3.0 mmol/l. This population-based finding confirms that corneal arcus was associated with hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia in older persons.